A Spring of Joy

Yesterday I sat at my computer and wept as I read my friend, Julie’s, description of a worshipping community she visited. She paints an amazing picture of people who put faith and prayer into action, and it’s a gorgeous portrait of God’s grace woven into the tapestry of their lives. It made me think of Charles Wesley’s hymn, “O For A Heart To Praise My God”.

Here is Julie’s story.

Here is Wesley’s hymn.

O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free,
A heart that always feels Thy blood
So freely shed for me.

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My great Redeemer’s throne,
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.

A heart in every thought renewed
And full of love divine,
Perfect and right and pure and good,
A copy, Lord, of Thine.

Thy tender heart is still the same,
And melts at human woe:
Jesus, for thee distressed I am,
I want Thy love to know.

My heart, Thou know’st, can never rest
Till Thou create my peace;
Till of mine Eden repossest,
From self, and sin, I cease.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
Come quickly from above;
Write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new, best name of Love.

I am longing for His nature in me this morning. Oh, may my heart be so full of Him that I can only copy Him!